Wall hung toilet carrier



Feb. 17, 1970 A. c. STUDER WALL HUNG TOILET CARRIER Filed Nov. 2. 1966 C S/uaer; INVENTOR.

BY Beak/er f ,lron/ w Feb. 17, 1970 A. c. STUDER 3,495,283

WALL HUNG TOILET CARRIER Filed NOV. 2, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Al/ee C. S/aae;

M5 4/ I a/nay:

United States Patent.

3,495,283 WALL HUNG TOILET CARRIER Altee C. Studer, 2440 Deep Creek Drive, Running Springs, Calif. 92382 Filed Nov. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 591,654 Int. Cl. E03c 1/20, 1/322; F16] 27/00 US. Cl. 4252 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wall hung toilet structure consisting of a frame having spaced vertical members for attachment to adjacent studs in a wall structure. Irrespective of the preciseness of the spacing of the studs, there is a plate extending between the members in which is an oversize hole. A bell and spigot sleeve is adapted to have the spigot end extending into the hole and the sleeve lie on the side of the plate facing into the room. There are two adjustments, one of them being lengthwise between the plate and the bell of the sleeve, and the other being radially between the plate and the joint made up of the sleeve and the bell and spigot waste pipe section to locate the joint in proper position to accommodate the toilet which will be hung on the same structure.

The invention relates to a plumbing installation and has particular reference to a bracket by means of which a wall hung toilet carrier may be accommodated for installation in a building construction.

There are two ways, ordinarily, of installing a toilet of the conventional type. One is a floor installation where the toilet bowl rests directly on the floor and the other is one where the toilet bowl is so constructed that it can be bolted to a vertical wall. Various advantages apply to the wall hung toilet, the most desirable of which resides in the fact that piping extends directly rearwardly into the wall and does not need to be carried through the floor into a space specially provided for it in the ceiling structure or in the room below.

One of the factors which complicates present day installations is the fact that a variety of different types of waste drain pipes are available, each having different characteristics and a different outside diameter for the same nominal pipe size. Most commonly used pipes are three kinds, namely cast iron, copper and plastic. The usual size of pipe leading from a toilet is a nominal three inch iron pipe size. For the three different materials mentioned, however, the outside diameter is different in each case. Consequently, an installation designed to accommodate pipe of one material, for example, will not make a satisfactory mounting for those occasions where pipe of a different material is encountered.

Plumbers, having in mind the need for accommodating pipe of different outside diameter, have resorted to various adjustments in the past, the more common of which consists of a frame with threaded screws at three different circumferentially spaced locations about the frame so that the screws can be adjusted inwardly or outwardly, as the case may be, to approximately center the pipe wtih relation to the toilet mounting. One of the disadvantages in this conventional means of adjustment is the inability to mount such screws sufiiciently firmly so that they will not bend out of adjustment when an appreciably long length of screw protrudes from its threaded support. Those fixtures heretofore making use of an adjustment of this kind have other defects in that they have not been of unitary construction and hence each installation has had to be hand tailored. Considering the present hourly rate for plumbers, unless installations of the kind under consideration are made quickly, effi- 3,495,283 Patented Feb. 17, 1970 I CC.

ciently, and satisfactorily, plumbing costs get entirely out of line with other costs for residential and comparable construction.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved wall hung toilet installation adjustable to an extent capable of accepting any one of a number of different kinds of pipe each of which has its own standard outside diameter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved wall hung toilet installation which is of a unitary construction, sufficient that most of the operation requiring care from the plumbers point of view can be produced in the shop and thus require relatively few operations and adjustments on the job.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved unitary mounting for a wall hung toilet most of which can be completed in the shop, the mounting however being such that it can be readily adjusted on the job to accommodate a number of different kinds of outside diameter pipe sizes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved unitary fixture for a wall hung toilet installation capable of being constructed in the shop but having structural form permitting it to be easily fitted into place in the wall of a building structure, the installation being compact, rigid, and also of rugged construction, the installation moreover having a substantial degree of adjustability so that it can easily be fitted into place and plumbing connected on the job with virtually a minimum consumption of plumbers time.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accom panying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of the unitary frame.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view partially broken away showing the unitary frame installed in a stud wall.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view drawn to a slightly larger scale taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3, and partially broken away.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view partially broken away showing a second form of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURE 6 but showing attachment of a pipe of different material.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing attachment of a pipe of material of still another kind.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustrating the structural principles involved, there is shown a unitary mounting frame indicated generally by the reference character 10 and shown in perspective view alone in FIGURE 1. The frame is constructed of a pair of vertical side members 11 and 12, here shown constructed of angle members. At the upper ends of the side members 11 and 12 is a transverse or structure member 13, preferably welded to the upper ends of the vertical side members 11 and 12 and serving to tie them together at the top. A similar transverse or structure member 14 at the bottom is attached to the lower ends of the vertical side members 11 and 12 in a similar fashion and ties the side members together at the bottom. The four members thus described, when assembled together as shown, form a substantially rectangular frame which has been herein designated as the mounting frame 10.

At the lower end there is also provided a pipe mounting plate 15 which is secured by appropriate conventional means along lines 16 and 17 to the vertical side members 11 and 12 respectively and along a lower line 18 to the transverse member 14, as for example by welding. Constructed in the manner described, the mounting frame is reinforced appreciably thereby to provide a rigid, compact structure.

In the pipe mounting plate is a hole 20 which is provided for reception of a pipe nipple 21 forming an extension of the Waste drain or drain pipe which is led from a toilet bowl 22. The nipple has a bell end 23 and a spigot end 24. From an examination of FIGURE 3 it will be clear that the inside diameter of the hole 20 is appreciably larger than the outside diameter of the nipple 21.

In order to provide a secure mounting for the nipple 21, an adjustable connection is provided, this being the adjustable connection or support indicated generally by the reference character 30 and shown in elevation in FIGURE 4. The adjustable connection is made up in part of a relatively flat ring 32, a cylindrical collar 33 and an annular flange 34. The ring 32 is atached to the pipe mounting plate by means of welds 35. Constructed in this fashion, the adjustable connection provides an annular inwardly facing recess just rearwardly of and surrounding the hole 20.

On one side of the adjustable connection, as shown in FIGURE 4, there is a relatively ample radially outwardly extending opening 36 defined by opposite sides 37 and 38.

Located within the adjustable connection, more particularly located inwardly of the annular flange 34, is an expandable and compressible split ring 40. The ring is continuous circumferentially except for a split 41 defined by opposite side 42 and 43. For pulling the split ring 40 tightly down into position against the exterior of the nipple 21 there is provided a band or tightener 44 which encircles the nipple and which is provided at one end thereof with a bracket or engaging portion 45 and at the other end with a bracket or engaging portion 45. A screw 46 extending through the brackets or mutually engaging portions 45 and 45 and threadedly engaging one of the brackets, as for example the bracket 45', may be employed for pulling the band 44 tightly against the outside circumference of the split ring 40 forcing opposite sides of the split together and pulling the split ring tightly into engagement with the circumference of the nipple 21.

The brackets 45 and 45 may be located so as to occupy a position in the opening 36 where the screw 46 can be reached by a screwdriver. The band 44 and its brackets 45 and 45' are of substantially conventional construction.

When the information concerning the nipple 21 and the material of which it is to be constructed is known in advance, a split ring 40 may be installed in the adjustable connection at the shop. Should a change be needed, however, there is sufiicient flexibility to the split ring 40 to permit the ring to be spread slightly when the screw and brackets are disconnected, thereby permitting it to be inserted one end first beneath the annular flange 34 entering at the opening 36 and thereafter worked around until the brackets 45 and 45' occupy a position in the opening 36. Should it be desired to change the split ring 40 it can be worked out of engagement beneath the annular flange 34 by reverse action and be replaced by a different split ring. It is of considerable moment that split rings can be stocked with a fixed outside diameter but with different inside diameters so that one stock of rings accommodates an iron pipe nipple, another set of rings with a different inside diameter accommodates copper pipe or tubing, and still a different split ring with a different inside diameter accommodates a plastic pipe. By way of example, it can be assumed that the nipple 21 heretofer described is an iron pipe nipple and that the 4 split ring has its inside diameter 47 slightly larger than the outside diameter of the nipple 21 so that the nipple can be readily projected through the adjustable connection and in particular through the hole in the split ring defined by the inside diameter 47.

When the mounting frame has been completed in accordance with the specifications, preferably in the shop, and is ready for installation in a building construction, it is placed between opposite pairs of studs 50 and 51, these preferably being constructed on 12 inch centers. Bolts 52 extend through appropriate holes in the pairs of studs 50, 51 and corresponding holes 53 in the respective side members 11 and 12. Nails 54 may be driven through holes 55 in the transverse member 14 and then into an appropriate lower spacer 56. The toilet bowl 22 may then be hung on the side members 11, 12 by appropriate bolts 57, 58 extending through appropriate holes 59 in the respective side members 11 and 12. Since there is rarely a perfect adjustable centering of the conventional hole in the toilet bowl 22 with respect to the pipe nipple 21 and the hole 20 through the pipe mounting plate 15, an appropriate clearance between the outside diameter of the split ring 40 and the inside diameter of the collar 33 permits a certain adjustability of alignment before the connection is completed by clamping the split ring 40 in its position upon the exterior of the nipple 21.

In the form of device illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6, 7, and 8, the vertical side members 11 and 12 are made use of as shown together with the transverse members 13 and 14. In this form, a mounting plate is attached to the vertical side members by some appropriate means, as for example by welding. Lower edges 66 and 67 are cut away leaving an edge 68 for attachment to the transverse member 14. A pipe mounting hole 69 of diameter sufficient to provide ample clearance extends relatively centrally through the mounting plate 65. Extending rearwardly from the mounting plate 65 is a plurality of brackets, three in number in the present device, namely the brackets 70, 71, and 72. A set screw 73 threadedly engages the bracket 70, extending through the bracket in a direction diametrically with respect to the pipe mounting hole 69. A similar set screw 74 is provided for the bracket 71 and set screw 75 for the bracket 72.

A sleeve or nipple indicated generally by the reference character 78 has, in the form of invention of FIGURES 5 and 6, a bell end 79 and a spigot end '80. There is a rearwardly facing shoulder 81 spanning the distance between the bell end 79 and the spigot end 80. It will be noted that the outside diameter of the nipple end is appreciably smaller than the diameter of the pipe mounting hole 69. To limit the position of the sleeve or nipple '78 in an axial direction inwardly toward the mounting plate 65, there are provided three set screws 82, 83, and 84. These set screws are in threaded engagement with the mounting plate 65 and extend through the mounting plate from the rear forwardly so that at forward ends the set screws are in engagement with the shoulder 81. These last identified set screws can be individually adjusted so as not only to physically limit the position of the sleeve outwardly or inwardly relative to the mounting plate, but also to tilt the sleeve, if tilting is necessary, in order to properly fit other pipe connections which may be in engagement with it.

For the form of invention of FIGURES 5 and 6 there is shown a second nipple or bell and spigot waste pipe section indicated generally by the reference character 85, the length of which is somewhat arbitrary. A bell end 86 of the nipple 85 is engaged with the spigot end of the sleeve or nipple 78 in a manner well known to the pipe fitting art. This is a somewhat conventional bell and spigot joint.

The bell end 86 is provided additionally at its outermost end with a flange 87 which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the rear face of the mounting plate 65. An annular recess 88 is provided in the spigot end in which there is an O-ring 89, the O-ring serving to seal the bell and spigot joint.

With the joint made up as shown in FIGURE 1, the center line of the joint can be shifted or adjusted with respect to the pipe mounting hole 69 by manipulation of the set screws 73, 74, and 75. In this way the center line can be shifted up and down, sidewise, or angularly in any direction. This is an adjustment in addition to adjustment by use of the set screws 82, 83, and 84.

In the form of invention in FIGURE 7, a sleeve or nipple indicated generally by the reference character 78' is made use of and is one wherein a spigot end 80 is slightly longer than the sleeve or nipple 78 first made reference to. The longer spigot end is made use of in order to provide two annular recesses 90 and 91 for the accommodation respectively of O-rings 92 and 93. This is the form usually made use of when a plastic pipe 94 is to be employed. A bell end 95 of the plastic pipe has a relatively narrow flange 96 which may possibly be of diameter small enough to extend entirely through the pipe mounting hole 69. On this occasion, a ring or band 97, preferably of metallic material, is applied over the bell end 95 so that the set screws 73, 74, and 75 will be brought into engagement with the metallic band rather than into engagement with the somewhat soft plastic pipe material. The set screws 82, 83, and 84 are employed in the same fashion as has already been described.

In still another form of the invention, as for example to accommodate copper tubing 100 the end of the tubing is formed with a flange 101, adapted to engage the shoulder 81 of the sleeve or nipple 78. A recess 102 accommodates the spigot end 80 and a shoulder 103 clears the innermost end of the spigot end 80. An O-ring seal 104 seals the connection between the copper tubing 100 and the sleeve or nipple 78. Other portions of the structure are the same as have already been described.

Because of the rugged rectangular construction of the mounting frame a very stable installation is made possible while at the same time the frame can be inexpensively constructed in the shop. The adjustability built into the adjustable connections give the installation the needed flexibility so that when no more than conventional workmanship is resorted to in centering the studs, drilling the appropriate holes, and mounting the mounting frame with respect to the location of the pipe nipple or sleeve, the nipple or sleeve nevertheless may be effectively located in the hole through the mounting plate and at the same time have a satisfactory alignment with the toilet bowl. Any time that a pipe nipple of some different material is encountered, even though not planned for, the installation can be easily accommodated to it by merely substituting one split ring 40 for another, or one nipple for another.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A mounting device for a wall hung toilet carrier comprising members forming a frame, a pipe mounting plate secured to the frame, said plate having a pipe hole therethrough for reception of a waste drain pipe, a support on said plate at a location adjacent said hole comprising a flange forming an annular recess opening inwardly toward the axis of said recess, an expandable and compressible ring located in said annular recess, said ring having an inside diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of the pipe, an annular tightener surrounding and concentric with said ring extending into said recess, said tightener being usable to draw said ring into engagement with the pipe, said ring being removable from said support for replacement with a ring having a different inside diameter for engagement with a pipe of different outside diameter.

2. A mounting device for a wall hung toilet carrier comprising side member forming a frame, a pipe mounting plate secured to the frame, said plate having a pipe hole therethrough for reception of a waste drain pipe, a flange attached to the rear face of said plate at a location adjacent said hole and forming an inwardly facing annular recess, a ring of yieldable material in said inwardly facing recess having an inside diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of the pipe, said ring having a radial split therethrough, an annular tightener surrounding and concentric with said ring and within said flange usable to draw said ring into engagement with the pipe, said ring being removable from said inwardly facing recess for re- "placement with a ring having a different inside diameter for engagement with a pipe of different outside diameter.

3. A mounting device for a wall hung toilet carrier comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a pipe mounting plate secured to the frame, said plate having a pipe hole therethrough for reception of a waste drain pipe, an annular flange attached to the rear side of said plate at a location adjacent said hole and forming a radially inwardly facing recess, said flange having a radial opening therein, a ring of yieldable material in said inwardly facing recess having an inside diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of the pipe, said ring having a radial split therethrough, an annular tightener surrounding and concentric with said ring and within said flange, said tightener being usable to draw said ring into engagement with the pipe and having tightening means in said radial opening accessible from the exterior, said ring being removable from said inwardly facing recess for replacement with a ring having a different inside diameter for engagement with a pipe of different outside diameter.

4. In a building structure having vertical studs in horizontally spaced apart relationship, a mounting device for a wall hung toilet comprising a transverse structure and vertical side members attached to respective lateral ends of the transverse structure forming a frame overlying a substantially rectangular area, and means on said frame for attachment to said studs comprising, plate portions of said side members overlying faces of said studs on the sides adjacent the wall hung toilet and having bolt holes therein, a pipe mounting plate forming part of the frame between said side members, said plate having a pipe hole therethrough for reception of a waste drain pipe nipple, an annular flange attached to the rear side of said plate at a location surrounding said hole and forming an annular inwardly facing recess, said flange having a radially outwardly extending opening, a ring in said annular inwardly facing recess having an inside diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of the nipple, said ring having a radial spit therethrough, an annular tightener having a band surrounding and concentric with the ring in said recess, said band having mutually engaging portions on respectively opposite ends, said mutually engaging portions being located in said opening in the flange and being usable to draw said ring into engagement with the nipple, said ring being removable from said annular inwardly facing recess for replacement with a ring having a different inside diameter for engagement with a nipple of different outside diameter.

5. A mounting joint for a wall hung toilet and waste pipe section comprising members forming a frame, said frame comprising laterally spaced vertically extending side members for engaging portions of a building Wall and a pipe mounting plate secured to said side members, said plate having a pipe hole therethrough for reception of a waste drain pipe assembly, support means on said plate comprising a plurality of adjusting means at circumferentially spaced locations about said hole, a bell and spigot sleeve having the bell end on a forward side of said plate and the spigot end in said hole, a bell and spigot waste pipe section having the bell in face to face engagement with the adjacent outside face of said mounting plate and surrounding the spigot end of said sleeve, seal means on the exterior of said spigot end of the sleeve and the interior of the bell end of said waste pipe section, said spigot end of the sleeve being adapted to accept the bell end of said waste pipe section, and adjusting means between said mounting plate and said sleeve adapted to limit projection of the spigot end into said hole and the bell end of said waste pipe section.

6. A mounting joint for a wall hung toilet and waste pipe section comprising members forming a frame having one end facing inwardly and the other side facing outwardly of a building wall, said frame comprising laterally spaced vertically extending side members for engaging portions of a building wall and a pipe mounting plate secured to the side members, said plate having a pipe hole therethrough for reception of a waste drain pipe assembly, support means on said plate comprising a plurality of brackets at circumferentially spaced locations about said hole on the outwardly facing side of the wall, a bell and spigot sleeve having the bell end on the inwardly facing side of said plate and the spigot end in said hole, a bell and spigot waste pipe section and yieldable seal means between the exterior of said spigot end of the sleeve and the interior of the bell end of said waste pipe section, said spigot end of the sleeve accepting the bell end of said waste pipe section, endwise adjusting means on said plate in engagement with the bell end of said sleeve and limiting projection of the spigot end into said hole, and individual radial adjusting means on said brackets engaging the bell end of the waste pipe section whereby to locate the waste pipe section and the sleeve relative to said hole, said last adjusting means comprising a screw in threaded engagement with each respective bracket and extending radially inwardly into engagement with the pipe section.

7. A mounting joint assembly for mounting a wall hung toilet and waste pipe section with respect to a stud wall construction comprising members forming a frame,

said frame comprising horizontally spaced vertically extending side members and a pipe mounting plate extending between said side members, said plate having a pipe hole therethrough for reception of a waste drain pipe assembly, each said side member having a flange overlying an edge face of an adjacent stud and having bolt holes in each said flange, support means on the rear side of said plate comprising a plurality of brackets at circumferentially spaced locations about said hole, a bell and spigot sleeve having the bell end on the side of said plate 7 opposite said support means and the spigot end in said hole, a bell and spigot waste pipe having the bell end in said hole and a flanged end adjacent one face of said mounting plate, yieldable seal means between the exterior of said spigot end of the sleeve and the interior of the bell end of the waste pipe section, said spigot end accepting the bell and of said waste pipe section, endwise adjusting means on said plate in engagement with the'bell end of said sleeve and limiting projection of the spigot end into said hole, said adjusting means comprising screws in threaded engagement with the plate, and extending into engagement with the bell end of said sleeve and individual radial adjusting means on said brackets engaging the bell end of the waste pipe section whereby to locate the waste pipe section and the sleeve relative to said hole, said last adjusting means comprising a screw in threaded engagement with each respective bracket and extending radially inwardly into engagement with the waste pipe section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,155,498 10/1915 Lloyd 4252 1,165,016 12/1915 Muckenhirn 4-252. 1,211,471 1/1917 Mann 4-252 1,212,280 1/1917 Stringer 4-252 1,335,056 3/1920 Hinsdale 4-252 1,545,839 7/1925 Mason 4-252 1,970,707 8/1934 Riddell 4--252 2,810,918 10/1957 Baker et al. 4--2.52 2,976,543 3/1961 Turner et al. 4-252 3,041,222 12/1961 Pope 4-252 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner 

